oldude
bamboo lover
- Joined
- Nov 15, 2016
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It wasn't a game winning shot. But it was arguably the biggest "made" shot in WBB last season, occurring in OT of a high-profile matchup between the top 2 teams in the nation. As far as the game was concerned, Paige's 3-pt shot with 10 seconds left in OT against SC gave UConn a practically insurmountable 4 point lead. But if she had missed that shot, there's no guarantee that SC would have won the game with 10 seconds left. The Gamecocks would have had to secure the rebound, probably call timeout and then execute an offensive play with less than 10 seconds on the clock.
From a team standpoint, UConn likely cemented a #1 seed in the Big Dance with the win, which put the Huskies in the bracket opposite Stanford & SC, only to run into an experienced and hot Arizona Wildcat team who ended their season in the National semifinals. Beyond that, the impact of the bounce is much more difficult to quantify, but there was and is an impact nonetheless. Every sports media outlet across the country from ESPN to the New York Times sports page prominently featured the bounce in their coverage for the next 24 hrs plus.
In real time, Lisa Byington's call during the game had an epic feel to it, "Back to Bueckers who will let it flyyyyyyyyyy........ Oh-ho-ho-ho-ho! The Magic of Paige Bueckers!" Byington's call may not be up there with Russ Hodges' call of Bobby Thomson's Shot Heard Round the World, but it is a call and a play that we will all be watching for many years to come, at least as long as Paige continues to lace up her sneakers and play basketball.
It was Page's 3rd straight 30 pt game, the first time in the illustrious history of UConn WBB that anyone had achieved that mark. Prior to the game, Page was certainly in the conversation for NFOY and AA honors. The bounce started a media narrative of Paige as a potential NPOY. Her performance the rest of the season only supported that narrative, particularly when the caveat was almost always added that, "No freshman had ever been named NPOY, " which served to elevate discussion and eventually voting for Page for every single NPOY award she was eligible to receive.
Without the bounce, does Paige subsequently receive the Espy, giving her a national platform to deliver a thought-provoking speech on the differences between how the media deals with white athletes vs black athletes? With the onset of NIL in college sports this season, how does the bounce impact Paige's ability to cash in on her huge social media following as well as her crossover appeal through conventional media? Of course, much of her ability to capitalize on her NIL depends on how she continues to play along with the success of her team. As only Geno could remind Paige, "All this doesn't matter if you stink."
One thing is for sure. Paige has already achieved something of a Rockstar status, at least as far as the UConn student body is concerned. Take a look at the video from the SRO crowd that packed the rafters at Gampel for 1st NIght on Friday.
From a team standpoint, UConn likely cemented a #1 seed in the Big Dance with the win, which put the Huskies in the bracket opposite Stanford & SC, only to run into an experienced and hot Arizona Wildcat team who ended their season in the National semifinals. Beyond that, the impact of the bounce is much more difficult to quantify, but there was and is an impact nonetheless. Every sports media outlet across the country from ESPN to the New York Times sports page prominently featured the bounce in their coverage for the next 24 hrs plus.
In real time, Lisa Byington's call during the game had an epic feel to it, "Back to Bueckers who will let it flyyyyyyyyyy........ Oh-ho-ho-ho-ho! The Magic of Paige Bueckers!" Byington's call may not be up there with Russ Hodges' call of Bobby Thomson's Shot Heard Round the World, but it is a call and a play that we will all be watching for many years to come, at least as long as Paige continues to lace up her sneakers and play basketball.
It was Page's 3rd straight 30 pt game, the first time in the illustrious history of UConn WBB that anyone had achieved that mark. Prior to the game, Page was certainly in the conversation for NFOY and AA honors. The bounce started a media narrative of Paige as a potential NPOY. Her performance the rest of the season only supported that narrative, particularly when the caveat was almost always added that, "No freshman had ever been named NPOY, " which served to elevate discussion and eventually voting for Page for every single NPOY award she was eligible to receive.
Without the bounce, does Paige subsequently receive the Espy, giving her a national platform to deliver a thought-provoking speech on the differences between how the media deals with white athletes vs black athletes? With the onset of NIL in college sports this season, how does the bounce impact Paige's ability to cash in on her huge social media following as well as her crossover appeal through conventional media? Of course, much of her ability to capitalize on her NIL depends on how she continues to play along with the success of her team. As only Geno could remind Paige, "All this doesn't matter if you stink."
One thing is for sure. Paige has already achieved something of a Rockstar status, at least as far as the UConn student body is concerned. Take a look at the video from the SRO crowd that packed the rafters at Gampel for 1st NIght on Friday.
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